Pixie Dust Troubles
by D. M. Robb
Summary: Ally is Pixie Hollow's latest Arrival. Disaster strikes when she attempts to use some of Zarina's alchemized pixie dust to enhance her new talent.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

I was weightless. The sound of a distant laugh vibrated through me. Suddenly I was kneeling on something hard and the laugh was replaced by multiple, indrawn breaths.

Where was I? _Who_ was I? My eyes flew open. Sparkling gold dust poured over me, filling me with tingling warmth. _Pixie_ _dust._ Somehow I knew the name for that, as well as other things. I glanced down. I was clad in a simple dress that looked as if it had been made from a dandelion seed. I stood and noticed my feet were bare. My straight brown hair spilled past my waist.

I looked around, suddenly aware of countless eyes on me. I wasn't alone but surrounded by people in brightly colored garments. Delicate, glass-clear wings sprouted from their backs. _Fairies._ The word rang in my head. And I was one of them. Did I have wings too? They all stared at me, their expressions filled with wonder and anticipation. An enormous tree that emanated an ocher glow loomed over us.

Sudden nerves tickled my stomach. Were they waiting for me to do something? Say something? "H-hi…" was all I managed. My voice sounded strange to my ears, squeaky and high-pitched.

A swirl of pixie dust suddenly appeared before me, transforming into a tall, ethereal fairy with light brown hair. She radiated golden light and her gown and wings appeared to have been woven from pixie dust. The fairy queen. _Clarion_ was the name that touched my mind. I felt my insides relax when she smiled down at me.

"Born of laughter, clothed in cheer, happiness has brought you here. Welcome to Pixie Hollow. I trust you found your way all right?" Her blue eyes seemed to be bathe me in their warmth. I had a strange feeling she had said these exact words to most of the fairies present, yet they seemed to be for me alone.

I could only nod. I was here, so I assumed I must have, even though I couldn't recall taking any journey.

"Good," Queen Clarion said. "Now let's see about those wings."

 _My wings!_ Excitement pumped through me as she lifted something off my back. I glanced behind. A pair of diaphanous wings, veined with delicate patterns, extended outward. My joy was so intense I feared I might burst. That feeling increased as I flapped them ever so slightly and rose off the ground. Queen Clarion grasped my hand and swirled me around. I laughed with delight. I already loved that I was a fairy if flying was to be a big part of this new life.

"Very good," she said as she gently lowered me to the ground. "Now it's time to choose your talent."

"M-my talent?" I gasped, my initial nerves returning. Was this a test? What if I failed? I grasped a lock of my hair. My restless fingers quickly wove it into a thin, tight braid.

Queen Clarion waved her hand. A circle of mushrooms suddenly sprouted around me. Several fairies glided from their places, each one setting a different object on each of the mushrooms. They retreated back into the crowd as soon as this was done.

"Go ahead, little one," Queen Clarion said in a kind voice. "Whichever object glows will reveal your talent, and the guild to which you will belong."

I swallowed as my gaze scanned each mushroom. There was an egg, a dewdrop, a flower, a cloud of undulating gold dust, another one of multicolored dust, an orb of light, a hammer, a tiny tornado…too many to choose. Which one? Which one? A sense of dizziness overcame me as I turned and turned. I clutched another lock of hair and twisted it.

"Don't worry, little one," said Clarion, placing both hands on my shoulders to still me. "You cannot go wrong. All talents are equal here. It is rare for a fairy to find her talent on the first try. Touch one and if that isn't right, move on to the next. I promise you will find yours, even if it's the last icon you try."

I took a deep breath and started toward the tornado. The group sitting directly beyond this was all clad in purple. One in particular stood out. She had glossy black hair pulled back into a ponytail and exotic gray-blue eyes beneath narrow, arched eyebrows. _Fast-fliers,_ I thought, taking note of their unusually long wings.

The tornado faded the instant I touched it. No, that wasn't my talent.

I turned to the next mushroom on which rested a hammer. _Tinkers._ I briefly scanned that group. They were dressed in green and gazed at me with eager eyes, as if hoping this would be my talent. I liked them instantly. Amongst them were two sparrow men who were complete opposites. One was plump and black haired, the other a wiry redhead with huge goggles. I had a feeling these two were close friends, practically brothers. A pretty fairy whose yellow hair was pulled back into a neat bun sat beside them.

Disappointment flooded me when the hammer crumbled in my grip. I wasn't a Tinker talent either. I dared to look up at them again. The yellow-haired fairy gave me a slight smile then shrugged and gestured that I keep going.

Shaking off my brief melancholy, I moved on to another mushroom, the one over which a cloud of colored pixie dust swirled in undulating patterns. _Pixie Dust Alchemy, an extremely rare talent._ My heartbeat grew rapid. Beyond this stood not a group but a solitary fairy. She was lovely, with a mane of unruly auburn hair and a beauty mark beneath one eye. Her tunic and leggings shimmered with the same rainbow hues as the softly churning dust-cloud.

She gazed at me with a look of such intense longing that I hoped, truly hoped, this would be my talent. _Please, please, please…_ I thought as I reached for the dust.

It dulled and darkened, falling to the mushroom like ash. My disappointment deepened even more when I returned my gaze to that fairy. Sadness filled her hazel eyes and she lowered her head. I suddenly felt ashamed of my failure. The lone Alchemist had probably been waiting for someone to mentor but it wasn't me.

Queen Clarion gave me a slight nudge. "Don't let these setbacks stop you, little one," she said gently. "Your talent is here. You just have to find it."

Next to the Alchemist huddled a large group of fairies and sparrow men wearing browns and yellows. They were the regular dust-keepers. I reached for the cloud of gold dust but even that faded.

I sighed, feeling a wave of impatience sweep through me. So far none of these talents suited me. Sighing in frustration, I grabbed the flower off its mushroom. Instead of crumbling like the others as I'd expected, it blossomed with a glow and floated from my hand. Its light was soft but definitely there.

Cheers erupted from the audience. The loudest came from a group of fairies dressed mostly in pink.

"Your talent is Garden," Queen Clarion announced, grasping my hand and holding it up. "Everyone, welcome the new fairy, Alyssum."

I was instantly surrounded by the other Garden fairies, who smelled of flowers and fresh, damp earth.

"A new Garden talent, I declare!" shouted an especially beautiful fairy with long red curls and bright green eyes. "We haven't had one for a while. Why, you, Chloe, were the last." She glanced at a lanky fairy with short dark hair. "My name's Rosetta," she said, placing an arm around my shoulders. "But you can call me Ro. Everyone does." She wrinkled her nose as her gaze flickered over my dandelion seed dress. "Now let's first find you something decent to wear!"

Rosetta pulled me into the air after her. Chloe followed right behind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"You'll love your new home, Sunshine," Rosetta continued as she tugged me along through the air.

"Uh…it's Alyssum," I said awkwardly, feeling my face burn. "No, make that Ally. I like that better."

"Ro knows your name, silly," Chloe laughed. "She calls _everyone_ things like 'Sunshine' and 'Sugar.' That's just Rosetta for you."

"So true," Rosetta said with a shrug.

A gasp caught in my throat as I glanced downward. All of Pixie Hollow stretched out below. It was divided into four separate seasons. I don't know but somehow I had a feeling this was unique to the Hollow. The contrasting colors of silvery winter against the vivid oranges and reds of autumn, spring's endless flowers, and summer's greenery, dazzled my eyes. My hair continued to whip across my face. I made a mental note to either cut or braid it when I had the chance.

My stomach dropped as Rosetta, still clinging to my hand, suddenly plummeted toward the colorful section that appeared to be spring. "We Garden fairies live in Spring Valley," she said as we descended into a lush meadow scattered with pink trees. Countless flowers dotted the area, some of which looked like small, bud-shaped houses.

"Welcome to your new home!" Chloe practically shouted as she grabbed my other hand and pulled me toward a flower-cottage. When she grasped one of the petals, it drew aside like a door, revealing a cozy living area. She closed it behind us once we entered.

I gaped in amazement. My own house! The surrounding petals were the walls and ceiling of my new cottage. A round gap on one side formed a window. The carpet, which resembled a flower's center, was incredibly soft against my bare feet. Everything was pink, including the furniture and bed covers. Even the dresses Rosetta started pulling out of the closet were varying shades of pink. I felt as if I were drowning in that color.

"You've got to try these on!" she exclaimed, spreading several flower-petal dresses over my new bed.

I winced. They were all much too frilly, like the dress Rosetta had on. That looked good on _her_ but none of them suited me. I glanced over at Chloe, noting her simple tunic and leggings. I'd have to settle for pink—that was apparently the main color for us Garden talents—but if I could have something more practical, I'd be happy.

"Do you have anything more like that?" I said, gesturing to Chloe.

She smirked at a grumbling Rosetta. "It looks like Ally isn't going to mind getting dirty," she said with a laugh as if this were some inside joke, then turned her attention back on me. "Luckily for you, I had the Tinkers make some clothes more like mine in case the latest Garden talent Arrival didn't want something quite so…well, fancy."

"Or was a sparrow man," Rosetta added.

Chloe ignored her and reached into the back of the closet. She pulled out a pale pink tunic, green leggings, and a pair of short boots. They were almost identical to the garments she had on.

Perfect! And most likely more comfortable than any of the dresses Rosetta had presented. I quickly exchanged my Arrival garment for these. I was short so the tunic fit more like a dress and I had to tuck the leggings into the boots. But at least I was right about the comfort.

Rosetta rolled her eyes. "Just what we need. Another tomboy Garden talent." But her words held the hint of a laugh. "Still, we really ought to do something with that hair, Ally. It's a mess! Here, let me—"

"No. I have an idea." I turned to a small, round mirror on one of the wall-petals. My first instinct was to chop my hair short like Chloe's but, on second thought, I opted to leave it long. It was the prettiest thing about me. Unlike Chloe, Rosetta, and a lot of other fairies I'd seen in the crowd at my Arrival, I wasn't exactly beautiful. I had average features, my eyes were a plain gray, and a splattering of freckles dotted my round face.

I wove sections of my hair into several thin braids, which Rosetta insisted on decorating with flowers.

" _Now_ you look like a proper Garden fairy," she said, looking me over. "Although I still question your fashion sense."

"That's enough of this fiddling around," said Chloe, grabbing my hand and pulling me back outside. "It's time to show you around Pixie Hollow and introduce you to everyone."

My pulse quickened with excitement.

"That's Springtime Square," Rosetta said, pointing downward, as we sped along. "And there's the Pixie Dust Depot at the base of the Pixie Dust Tree." She indicated a cylinder-shaped structure at the edge of a stream with a water wheel in the front. "That's where the pixie dust is processed and packaged. It's extremely important to us. If you don't want to wait for your daily ration to be delivered, you should visit the Tree first thing in the morning."

"Daily ration?"

"Of pixie dust," said Chloe. "That's what helps us fly and use our talents."

The air blowing in my face and stirring my hair was tinged with the varying scents of countless flowers and shrubs. I couldn't wait to start using my new talent to grow my own. Ideas for unique colors and designs were already filling my head.

Not far from the Tree I could see an enormous galleon perched in a field of grass, next to an empty stadium. "What's that?" Curious, I shifted my direction and headed toward it, without waiting for an answer.

"Where are you going, Sunshine?" Rosetta called. "I wanted to—"

"I have to check this out."

A sensation of awe filled me as I drew closer to the ship. It was the largest thing I'd seen, besides the Pixie Dust Tree, in the short time I'd been alive. Its sails billowed in the breeze but it obviously wasn't going anywhere. The deck appeared to be some sort of storage area. It was covered with boxes, barrels, and canisters.

"Since I just Arrived, I may not know much," I said, turning to my companions, who'd finally caught up with me, "but this seems like a strange place to dock a ship."

"Oh, it's a long story," said Rosetta. "I'll tell you about it when we have the time. The short version is that Zarina spent a year with these human pirates. She was even their captain."

"Zarina?"

"You'll meet her later. She's now a Pixie Dust Alchemist, so far the only one." I thought of the wild-haired fairy who had looked so sad when that didn't end up as my talent. "We'll need to use some of her dust to cross the Winter border so we can't feel the cold and our wings won't freeze. I'm so glad she came up with that. It's so much more convenient than having them frosted and we no longer need to wear those heavy coats." Rosetta's cheeks suddenly flushed a bright red. "That reminds me. I promised Sled I'd—"

"Who's Sled?"

"Ro's boyfriend," said Chloe with a giggle. "He's one of the Winter fairies."

"Ro? Chloe?" A fairy poked her head out of a fairy-sized door that had been built into a much larger one. Her hair was even longer than mine and pulled back into a single braid.

"Hi, Fawn," said Chloe.

"What are you doing here?" Rosetta fluttered toward Fawn. "Is another one of your animal friends sick?"

"Yes. This time it's Cheese." Fawn stepped aside, allowing us to enter. "Come in and say hi."

My eyes widened as I scanned the vast room. Faceted windows allowed some of the daylight to slip through in mottled patterns. I somehow sensed this had once been the captain's cabin. Had it been Zarina's room? There was much more space than I could imagine any fairy ever needing. Some drawers over a large desk had been made into beds. Four of these drawer-beds each held an animal. The creatures appeared to be ill or injured. Two other fairies besides Fawn, whom I instantly knew were Animal talents, were tending them. Like Fawn, they were dressed in orange and brown.

I studied the animals as I fluttered toward the desk behind Fawn, Rosetta, and Chloe. There was a rabbit that seemed to have a cold, a snail with a broken shell, a bird with its wing in a sling, and a mouse with a bandaged tail.

Fawn alighted beside the mouse and kissed its twitching nose. "You have some visitors, Cheese," she said. "You remember Ro, of course, and Chloe. And this is…Alyssum, right?"

"Ally, actually." I didn't realize I'd been unconsciously pulling at my hair until I felt a painful tug.

"The new Garden talent!" she exclaimed, dashing forward to shake my hand. I noticed that she had almost as many freckles as me. "Welcome to Pixie Hollow. You're in good hands with Rosetta and Chloe. This is the Animal Infirmary." She gestured at our surroundings. "I'm not sure if you heard the story but it was originally Zarina's ship. When we returned, she gave it to Pixie Hollow. We've put it to good use."

"What happened to poor Cheese's tail?" Chloe asked before I could question where the pirates were. She patted the mouse's head. I followed her lead and cautiously petted his fur. It was so soft and I was sure he smiled at me. For a second I wished I was an Animal talent.

"A stray cart ran over him. It had been pushed by a Sprinting Thistle."

"A Sprinting Thistle!" Rosetta's voice echoed throughout the room, startling the other animals. "Not those confounded things again! I thought Vidia had returned them to Needlepoint Meadow ages ago."

"Well, it looks as if some have escaped. Tink's working on a contraption to capture them. A 'Thistle Catcher' I think she's calling it."

"What's a Sprinting Thistle?" I'd Arrived knowing what most things were but not that. Which was odd, considering I was a Garden talent. Wasn't a thistle a type of plant? But plants shouldn't be able to move on their own, let alone push carts.

"They're menaces to Pixie Hollow that not even the best Garden talents can tame," said Rosetta, folding her arms. "I sure hope Tink's contraption works! Which reminds me, you ought to meet her," she said to me. "That will be our next stop."

"I hope you get better, Cheese," I said, giving the mouse's coat one more stroke.

"His tail should be good as new in about a week or so. Isn't that right, Cheese?" Fawn kissed him again. "Maybe sooner if we can get some of Zarina's new healing dust and see if it works on animals."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The lowering sun stabbed at my eyes as we flew from the ship. What season were we going to visit next? I wondered. And who was this 'Tink?' She had to be one of the Tinker talents.

"Hi Chloe, hi Ro," called a pretty fairy with long black hair and a blue gown. Water talent, I guessed. She was with a dark-skinned fairy whose dress looked as if it had been made from sunflower petals and was fastened with a sunflower seed. Light talent, was what came to me. "And you must be the new Arrival—"

"Ally," I said before I had to correct her as she grasped my hand.

"Nice to meet you, Ally. I'm Silvermist."

"And I'm Iridessa," said the Light talent. "I hope you like Pixie Hollow."

"It's…amazing!" I said. We were so high that I could once again see all the seasons at once. So far, that was my favorite view.

A blur of purple and black suddenly dashed from the sky at a speed faster than I could imagine any fairy flying and stopped abruptly before us. She was the black-haired fast-flier I'd noticed while I was picking out my talent.

"Vidia, this is Ally, the new Arrival," said Silvermist.

"I know." Vidia's lips curved into a half-smile that was more of a smirk. I wasn't sure if I liked her or not. "Don't forget, I'm the one who guides new Arrivals here. Welcome, Sweetie." Her smile stretched into a grin that revealed white, even teeth. "So, Garden talent. Have you grown anything yet?"

I shook my head. "No. But I have tons of ideas."

"We're first showing her around Pixie Hollow," said Chloe.

"Oh, yes, the grand tour," said Vidia.

"I just met Fawn in the Animal Infirmary," I said. "One of the Sprinting Thistles had hurt—"

Vidia gave such a horrified gasp that I choked back the rest of my words. "Oh, no, no, no! I'm _not_ rounding those up again." Her pale eyes were wide with a look of dread. "I still have scars from getting all scraped up the last time I did that."

"Is it the fast-fliers' job to round up Sprinting Thistles?"

Vidia gave me such a glare that, for a second, my wings stopped beating and I nearly plummeted. I caught myself just in time.

"Easy, Vi," said Chloe. "Ally's new, don't forget."

Vidia sighed and mumbled, "I'd rather not talk about it. But I have a lot of work to do. See you around, Ally." She forced a smile then took off at top speed.

"You'll have to forgive Vidia," said Silvermist, placing a hand on my shoulder. "She can be a little intense sometimes."

"Well, that's putting it mildly," laughed Rosetta. "She may come off as rude but she has a good heart. Most of the time. Now come on. You've got to meet Tinker Bell."

Silvermist and Iridessa joined us as we headed toward our next destination, Tinker's Nook.

"If one Sprinting Thistle returned, the others might too," I overheard Iridessa whisper to Silvermist. "This is bad. Very, very bad."

"Shhh." Silvermist pressed a finger to her lips when I glanced back at them over my shoulder. "You don't want to worry the new girl. Besides, Tink's working on something. She always comes through."

"And if that doesn't work, then what?"

Silvermist shrugged. "There's always Zarina's dust. Maybe she can shrink them or put them to sleep."

"No. I heard they're immune to pixie dust."

They grew silent as we descended into a tiny valley that was dwarfed by the surrounding trees. A slender river snaked through it. Fairies and sparrow men, mostly dressed in green, scurried about, some pushing wheelbarrows, others driving carts pulled by mice similar to Cheese. The two sparrow men I recognized from my Arrival leaped from one of the carts and hurried toward us.

"It's the new Arrival!" shouted the plump one as he grabbed my hand and shook it so hard my teeth rattled. "Welcome to Tinker's Nook, Miss Alyssum."

"Easy, Clank," said his companion. "You don't want to break her."

"Sorry." Clank dropped my hand.

"It's all right," I said, smiling up at him. "And call me Ally."

Clank's friend gazed at me with blue eyes that looked enormous behind his dewdrop goggles. "Hello, Ally. I'm Phineas T. Kettle Esquire, but everyone calls me Bobble. It's nice to make your acquaintance."

"Same here, Bobble."

"Where's Tink?" asked Rosetta, looking around. "We heard she was working on some Thistle Catcher thingamajig."

"She's in the workshop," said Clank, thrusting his thumb toward a cave-like opening at the base of one of the trees. "She's almost got it working. She just needs to test it out."

I followed behind the others as Clank and Bobble led the way. I couldn't stop myself from looking around. This place just continued to fill me with more wonder. My eyes widened even more as we entered the enclosure. The walls were a pattern of tree roots, reaching up to a high ceiling. Small tables were scattered everywhere, even along the walls. Green-clad Tinker talents worked at various tables, putting together different items.

My group led me to a fairy I recognized, the one with the blonde hair pulled back into a bun. She was working on an enormous device that took up much of the cave. I guessed that was the Thistle Catcher. It stood upright on a pair of wooden wheels and had been created from a mishmash of various objects that I didn't recognize, but its middle was a massive net that made me think of a giant spider web. Several arms that ended in claws dangled around that net.

"So this is what you've been working on, Tink," said Iridessa as the others gathered around, admiring her handiwork.

"Yup." Tink stood and brushed off her leaf-dress. She wasn't much taller than me. Her blue eyes brightened. "Hi!" She shook my hand, smearing it with grease then let out an embarrassed giggle. "Sorry. I haven't had a chance to clean up. I'm Tinker Bell."

I returned her greeting. My cheeks were starting to hurt from all the smiling I was doing every time I met someone new. I studied her Catcher. "Fawn mentioned this. Do you think it will catch the Thistles?"

"That's the plan. We have to be prepared." She dashed about, gathering up several odds and ends and placing them throughout the cave. Some of the other Tinkers stopped their work to watch. "Let's test it out." She picked up a rectangular device that wasn't much bigger than her hand and pushed a button. I gasped as the Catcher started to move. It rolled forward and extended its claws. But, instead of grabbing the objects off the floor, it caught up Bobble and tossed him into the net.

"Get me out of here!" he hollered as the room erupted in faint laughter.

Tink pushed the button and the machine stopped. "I guess it still needs a little work. Sorry, Bobble." She and Clank rushed forward to untangle him from the net.

A dark-haired fairy clad in scarlet suddenly burst into the room.

"Viola!" several of them gasped.

"I wonder which one of us is going to be summoned," Iridessa said in a worried whisper.

Sudden dread swept through me. I hadn't done or said anything wrong, had I? Of course, it was just my first day here, so, if I had, how much trouble could I get into?

"Queen Clarion requests that everyone stop what they are doing and go straight to Springtime Square," Viola announced, her voice echoing throughout the cave-workshop.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

A massive crowd of fairies and sparrow men had gathered in Springtime Square before the towering Pixie Dust Tree. Fawn and Vidia joined us. I noticed several who had stark white or black hair and were dressed mainly in icy blue hues.

Tink's wings suddenly began to sparkle with blinding rainbow patterns. "Peri!" she called. A slender fairy with spiky white hair and identical wings turned and waved back. "That's my twin sister, Periwinkle," Tink said to me, her voice tinged with pride. "She's one of the Winter fairies."

Before I could respond, Queen Clarion materialized before us in a swirling cloud of pixie dust, just as she had at my Arrival. Was it still the same day? A light-headed feeling suddenly overcame me. So much had happened since then that it felt like days instead of a few hours.

Clarion held out her hand to a tall, white-haired sparrow man with a feathered cape draped over his broad shoulders. He stepped forward and stood beside her.

"That's Lord Milori, ruler of the Winter Woods," Rosetta whispered to me.

"I know you are all wondering why I called you here," Clarion said in a clear voice that carried over the crowd. "Don't worry. I have wonderful news. For countless years, there had been no known cure for broken wings. While such injuries are rare, they have always been a concern, especially in the days when the Winter and Warm fairies had to remain separate for everyone's protection. Only rare fairies, born of the same laugh," Clarion's gaze seemed to settle briefly on Tink and Peri, "were able to heal the other's wing should one of them break. But now, a cure has been found." Stunned gasps breathed through the crowd.

Lord Milori turned his back to the audience and removed his cape, revealing a pair of beautiful, pellucid wings. All of Pixie Hollow murmured in awe as if this were some great miracle. I frowned in confusion until Tink said softly, "One of his wings had broken off ages ago, back when it was dangerous to cross the borders."

"This discovery was made by our own Pixie Dust Alchemist, Zarina." Zarina, her jewel-colored garments shimmering against the dust-light emanating from the Tree, fluttered into view.

The crowd burst into applause as she tossed a handful of pixie dust onto Lord Milori's wings. They beat rapidly, propelling him several feet into the air.

I was nearly deafened by the cheers as he glided above the crowd, only faltering slightly as if he'd been out of practice for years. Clarion and Zarina joined him, each taking one of his hands.

I glanced at my companions. All were smiling and brushing away joyful tears.

"Zarina spent months working on that dust potion." I could barely hear Tink's choked voice over the overpowering noise. "She refused to leave her lab for the longest time. It looks like it finally paid off."

"I never thought I'd fly again," Lord Milori said once they alighted before the Tree. "And now, thanks to Zarina, I can. Our worries concerning wing damage are over." He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"This is a cause for celebration," Clarion announced. "Tonight."

More cheers followed as the crowd dispersed, some approaching Zarina, others flying off to start the preparations. Rosetta and Chloe grasped my arms as our little group flew toward Zarina. There were tears in her eyes as she smiled and hugged each fairy. I could tell they were all good friends.

"Zarina, this is Ally, the newest Garden talent," Rosetta said, placing an arm around my shoulders.

"Hello, Ally," she said, grasping my hand.

My mind suddenly went blank. _Say hello back!_ my thoughts urged but my lips refused to form any words. Here I was, the newest Arrival, standing before the most famous fairy in Pixie Hollow, aside from Queen Clarion. I twisted a stray lock of hair around my fingers as I struggled to think of _something_ to say.

Zarina stared down at me in concern until I was nudged aside by others who wanted to congratulate her.

"Don't worry, Sweetpea," Rosetta said in a kind voice. "You'll get a chance to talk to her later at the party. I'll make sure of it. But now let's put your talent to work and grow something." She guided me away from the Tree until we were gliding over a field of flowers. "What do you want to work on? Zinnias? Marigolds? I've always been partial to—"

"Well, I have an idea for a tree with taffy leaves and cupcake fruits," I said. My fingers tingled with the urge to start creating.

Rosetta's sudden laughter shocked me. "Oh, Sugar, there isn't a Garden fairy who can grow an entire tree on her own. The only fairy who's ever done that was Zarina."

"How? She's not a Garden talent."

"She once used her Alchemy to grow a second Pixie Dust Tree."

I was stunned. "So, Zarina had been a pirate captain with a human crew. She can also mend and protect wings _and_ grow Pixie Dust Trees? What else can she do?"

"Lots of things. She's made dust for all the different talents. Not only can this enhance your talent but it can change it completely. Why, thanks to her, I spent some time as an Animal fairy."

"You?" I cocked my head and tried to picture her with a talent other than Garden.

Rosetta shook her head. "Forget I said that. Now, let's start with something simple." She grabbed my wrist and dragged me to an open patch of earth in between a cluster of yellow daisies. "See if you can duplicate one of these."

My pulse quickened with anticipation. Now was my chance to prove what I could do! I closed my eyes and imagined a perfect yellow daisy with silky petals.

A tingling started in my fingertips then surged throughout my body. I was one with the earth and could feel a seed beneath the soil burst with life. I mentally coaxed it to keep growing, to break through the surface. I imagined it attached to an invisible string that I pulled. _Reach up. That's it,_ I thought to the new sprout. _Feel your first touch of sunlight._

Rosetta made a sound that was half sob, half gasp. I couldn't wait to see my first creation. My eyes flew open.

I sank to the ground as a heavy disappointment overcame me. Instead of a lovely daisy, a prickly, scraggly weed jutted from the soil. To add to my mortification, Chloe and a few of the other Garden talents surrounded us.

"Oh, this is terrible!" one of them sobbed, burying her face in her hands.

"It's just her first try, Ivy," Chloe said, placing a hand the fairy's shoulder. "Ally just needs a little practice." She then turned to me. "Give it another try, Ally. Dig down deep and all that."

"Okay. I can do this." Determination burned within me.

I lifted off the ground and returned my focus back on growing a daisy. Chloe was probably right. This time it would work.

The now familiar prickling returned. I formed an image of the emerging roots in my mind and filled them with nurturing thoughts. I had it this time. I was sure.

I heard the deflated murmurs of the other Garden talents before I even opened my eyes.

"No! This will never do!" Another voice overpowered theirs. "The Queen wants everything perfect for tonight's celebration. What is it you are doing?"

My focus broke. I looked down at my second creation. Another weed, even more straggly and pathetic than the first.

A tall, thin sparrow man decorated with flowers hovered over me, a cross expression on his face.

"Ally's just Arrived, sir," said Chloe, patting my shoulder. "She just needs a little practice."

"That shouldn't be an excuse," he huffed. "The Winter fairies returned from the Mainland just a few weeks ago. It shouldn't be more than a week before the Everblossom blooms." He pointed toward a large white bud perched on a small hill. "When it does, it will be our turn to go and usher in spring. Those who are not yet ready must stay behind." He fluttered away.

"Who's he?" I asked once he was out of earshot.

"Hyacinth, the Minister of Spring," said Rosetta. "He always gets a little nervous around this time. But don't fret, Sunshine. There's still time. Now, let's keep working on those flowers. Maybe daisies just aren't your thing. Why don't you try something else?"

It still didn't matter. I attempted tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and even my namesake, alyssums, but they all ended up as hopeless weeds. By this time, the sun was slipping toward the horizon, flooding Spring Valley with a rich, golden-red glow. I struggled to ignore the worried looks the other Garden fairies exchanged.

"Don't worry, Ally," said Chloe, forcing a smile. "There's still tomorrow."

"And a party tonight," said Rosetta, brightening. "It's time to get cleaned up and pick out our dresses. Yes, even you," she said, her eyes scanning me. "You're _not_ wearing _that_ to this special celebration!"

"I'm not going." My entire body ached from my useless efforts and the fear that my Arrival was a mistake sat like a weight in my chest. "I'm just too tired."

"But you have to!" Rosetta blurted. "All of—"

"Perhaps Ally's right," said Chloe. "Maybe a good night's sleep will help."

A feeling of gratitude toward her swept through me. After my failures today, I wasn't in the mood to celebrate another's accomplishments, even though, deep down, I knew I was being selfish.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I was once again engulfed by endless pink as I stepped into my new home. A few mushroom lamps scattered throughout had taken on soft, phosphorous glows that chased away the evening darkness.

As I searched my drawers for some nightclothes, I came across a large book with a flower on the cover. I flipped through the pages but they were all blank. Was it some sort of journal for Garden talents? Perhaps every Pixie Hollow fairy was supplied with similar journals to record their progress or jot down ideas having to do with their talents.

The inspiration for the strange plants and breathtaking flowers I had planned to grow earlier in the day came flooding back. I grabbed a quill and flopped onto my bed with the journal.

Unlike my earlier flower-growing attempts, drawing them came easily, flying from my quill onto the pages as if driven by magic. They were so detailed they looked as if they could fall off the page: incandescent blossoms with spiraling petals, vines that sprouted colorful candy, and trees with crystalline leaves that reflected impossible colors.

Renewed hope filled me. Maybe my talent _wasn't_ Garden but drawing. Was there such a thing as an Art talent fairy?

The chattering of fairies and sparrow men outside as they returned home from the celebration distracted me. It was late and I'd completely lost track of time. I started at the sound of someone knocking and hurried to answer it.

Rosetta and Chloe stood in the doorway, both wearing rose petal gowns. It was strange to see Chloe dressed like that.

"How are you doing, Sweetpea?" Rosetta asked as I stepped aside for them to enter.

"We've come to check on you and bring you something to eat." Chloe handed me a leaf-platter covered with berries and pastries.

"Thanks," I said, placing it on a small table and grabbing my journal. "I'm great, actually. I just found out I'm not really a Garden fairy. I drew these so I must be an Art talent."

My friends widened their eyes as they flipped through the pages. "These are amazing, Ally!" said Chloe.

"I'll say!" added Rosetta. "They look so real. It's almost as if I can reach in and pull them off the pages." She then wrinkled her forehead. "But that doesn't make sense. It was the _flower_ icon that glowed when you touched it. Why, you didn't even go near the paintbrush."

"I'm pretty new myself," said Chloe, "but I've never heard of a fairy ending up with the wrong talent." She shrugged. "But I suppose there's a first time for everything." She peered once again at my drawings. "These are excellent. Maybe Art really is your talent."

"What should I do?"

"Talk to Queen Clarion," said Chloe. "See what she—"

"But not now." Rosetta giggled. "Now that Lord Milori has a new wing, she's been flying him all over Pixie Hollow."

I was so pumped with excitement that I couldn't fall asleep. After such a disappointing afternoon, it was a relief to discover Garden might not be my actual talent. A faint sadness tugged at me. Would Queen Clarion make me leave this new home? And what about Rosetta and Chloe? They'd been so nice to show me around and introduce me to everyone. I felt as if I'd be abandoning them. But then, they had good friends from many different talents. My thoughts turned to Fawn, Tink, Silvermist, Vidia, Iridessa, Clank, Bobble, and Zarina. There was no reason to believe they'd stop being my friends if my true talent was Art.

And then there was approaching Queen Clarion with this. I envisioned her warm gaze on me as she welcomed me to Pixie Hollow. What's the worst that could happen?

The next morning I quickly washed, dressed, and fixed the braids that had gotten tousled during my restless sleep. I was so nervous I barely managed to choke down a fist-sized berry and a bite of pastry from the platter of goodies my friends had brought me. Then, clutching my journal to my chest, I started toward the Pixie Dust Tree.

For a reason I couldn't understand, it was a struggle to remain airborne. My wings burned with the effort. Panic jolted through me. Was something wrong with them? I hadn't had this trouble yesterday. I glanced back and noticed that much of the gold glitter that coated them had faded. I suddenly remembered what Rosetta and Chloe had told me yesterday about daily pixie dust rations.

Sure enough, a line of fairies and sparrow men stood at the base of the Tree. A handsome, light-haired sparrow man with an acorn cap was handing a green bag to each fairy. Pixie dust rations? They had to be. Another sparrow man, who was large and portly and wearing a kilt, checked off each fairy's name on a long leaf-scroll. To my relief, Tink was at the end of the line.

"Hey, Ally," she said. "I didn't see you at the celebration last night. What happened?"

"I didn't go. I was too disappointed in my talent and wasn't up to it."

"It'll get better, I assure you," she said, her eyes sparkling almost as brightly as pixie dust. "I didn't want to be a Tinker at first, until I found new ways to make gadgets using Lost Things from the Mainland."

"That's like me, kind of. Yesterday I couldn't grow anything but weeds, no matter how hard I tried. But then I found I could draw my creations instead." I showed her my journal.

"Wow! Ally, these drawings…they look so…so, well, _real_ ," Tink gasped as she flipped from one page to the next. "And I've never seen plants like these."

"That's what Rosetta and Chloe said. I think I might be an Art talent, not Garden."

"Hmmm. That's interesting." Tink looked as if she was about to say more but then noticed she was now at the front of the line.

"Good morning, Tink," the blond dust-keeper said with a shy, dimpled smile.

"Hi, Terence." Tink returned his smile, her cheeks burning a brilliant pink. She gazed up at him as handed her a bag then snapped out of her momentary trance. "Oh, Terence, have you met Ally yet?" She opened her bag and sprinkled its contents on her wings.

"The new girl. Hi, Ally. You might not remember, but I was the one who poured the dust on you at your Arrival."

The familiar warmth filled me as he showered me with more instead of giving me a bag. My wings felt suddenly energized as if I could fly for miles without tiring. "This is your pixie dust ration for today."

"Thanks."

"Anytime, Ally." I noticed Tink was still staring at him as he turned his attention to the next fairy.

"Are you all right?" I asked her.

She blinked and focused on me. "Yeah."

A part of me wanted to ask further but I remembered I needed to see Queen Clarion. A fresh batch of nerves struck my stomach. My fingers throbbed with an urge to add additional braids to my hair but they were still grasping my journal.

"Tink, I have to talk to the queen about that mistake at my Arrival. Do you know where she is?"

"She's probably going to meet with the Seasonal Ministers later today. There's a lot to do now that it's almost time to bring spring to the Mainland. But she usually takes her tea at this time with my supervisor Fairy Mary. They've been good friends forever."

"She sounds busy." I turned to go. "Maybe I'll try another time."

Tink grasped my arm. "It doesn't hurt to at least ask."

"Okay." I clutched my journal tighter.

Tink led me into the Tree and down a long hallway. A few fairies and sparrow men, whom I guessed were the queen's courtiers, were scurrying about, dusting and placing fresh flowers in vases.

"Is Queen Clarion available?" Tink asked one of them.

"I'll check, Miss Bell," she said and entered one of the doors lining the corridor. She emerged moments later and beckoned to us. "You can go right in." She stepped aside, allowing us to enter.

My eyes widened as I scanned the room. It was larger than my cottage and beautifully furnished. Windows scattered the rounded wood walls on all sides, with views of Pixie Hollow from every season.

Clarion sat at a small table before one of the windows with a plump, round-faced fairy. Both sipped from delicate teacups.

"Good morning, Queen Clarion, Fairy Mary," said Tink, slightly bowing her head. "Your Majesty, the new Arrival, Ally, has something she'd like to ask you."

I gulped and strained to pull the memory of Queen Clarion's kind greeting when I'd first become aware.

"What is it you would like to ask me, Ally?" The queen rose gracefully, her elegant wings flaring from her back.

My hands were sweating so much I feared my journal would slip from their grasp. "I think there was a mistake at my Arrival, Your Majesty," I said, dipping my head.

"And what makes you think that?" Clarion's tone was so gentle that I felt the tightness in my chest loosen, just a little.

"I'm no good as a Garden fairy, as you might have heard." I was sure the Minister of Spring must have informed her. "I think I have a different talent."

"Sounds like a certain Tinker fairy I know," said Fairy Mary with a snort as she looked over at Tink, her brown eyes filled with warmth. "Didn't you say something similar when you first Arrived?" Tink's face broke into an embarrassed smile. She nodded.

"But it's true with me," I said, turning my attention back to Clarion. "I can only grow weeds but I was able to draw these." I opened my journal to show her.

A strange sensation of pride squeezed my chest as an awed expression swept across the queen's beautiful face. "These are quite impressive, Ally."

"They certainly are," breathed Fairy Mary, peering at my drawings over the queen's shoulder. "I'd have to say they are even better than some of the things the Art talents come up with."

"Does that mean I'm an Art talent then?" Hope surged through me.

"It would appear so," said Clarion. "But it's just odd that it was the flower that glowed when you touched it. The only fairy whose talent was not what it seemed was Zarina, but her Alchemy and dust-keeping are still related talents. Art and Garden may have some underlying similarities in that they both create objects of beauty but, aside from that, they are unrelated."

I grasped a lock of hair then quickly released it as I struggled not to fidget in front of the queen. "What then should I do, Your Majesty?"

"The one to decide that is Fairy Frieda, head of the Art talents." Clarion paced to her desk and picked up a small shell. She held it to her lips and warbled a shrill whistle. Before I could question that, the fairy I recognized as Viola appeared in one of the windows.

"Do you need me to summon someone, Your Grace?" she asked.

"Yes. Thank you, Viola. Fairy Frieda, please." Viola briefly bowed her head then sped off.

Tink and Fairy Mary discussed the Thistle Catcher while we waited. I stared down at my journal. _Please, let Art be my talent,_ I silently pleaded to no one in particular.

Moments, which felt more like hours, passed before Viola returned with a tall, scarlet-haired fairy whose dress was made of feather down and shredded leaves. A matching hat rested upon her head at a jaunty angle.

"You summoned me, Queen Clarion?" she said with a graceful curtsey.

"That I did, Fairy Frieda." I stiffened as Queen Clarion placed a graceful hand on my shoulder. "Our newest Arrival Ally feels she might have been given the wrong talent. The flower icon chose her at her Arrival but she has since discovered that she is better at drawing plants than growing them." She handed Frieda my journal.

My pulse raced as Frieda slowly thumbed through it. She studied each page for several long minutes apiece, her brow creased. I couldn't stop swallowing and fought the urge to braid every loose strand of my hair. What if she hated my work?

"Very impressive, I must say," she said after what felt like an eternity. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. "But have you drawn anything other than flora?"

I stepped back, stunned by her question. It hadn't occurred to me to sketch anything else.

"N-no." I cringed at my soft stammer.

"Let's see you try something else, then." Frieda produced a quill and a blank scroll from one of her many pockets and handed them to me. "Sit here." She pulled out a chair at the table where Clarion and Mary had been enjoying their tea before our interruption. "Now, draw this teacup."

My hands were shaking as I spread out the scroll and clutched the quill. While drawing trees and blossoms had felt so natural, my attempt to sketch that simple cup sitting before me was as difficult as my efforts to grow a single flower. I couldn't get the lines straight and the handle was askew, no matter how many times I tried to fix it.

"Let me try again," I said, wincing at the pleading tone in my voice as I crossed out that first attempt. I switched hands but that was even worse. All I could produce was hopeless scribbles. What was wrong? "Maybe I can try something else," I said, glancing around the room.

"No. I've seen enough." Frieda took back the scroll and quill and tucked them back into her pocket. "I'm not sure what your talent is but it's not Art. Art talents can draw anything that is asked of them. Good day, Your Majesty, Fairy Mary."

"We're sorry to have troubled you," Fairy Mary called after her in a slightly sarcastic tone as she swept from the room.

I fought the threatening tears that prickled my eyes and grabbed my journal. "What do I do now?"

"Don't despair, little one," said Queen Clarion. I longed to collapse into her arms and sob on her shoulder but felt that would be disrespectful. "Garden was the talent chosen for you. Some fairies just need a little more practice. I'm sure you'll catch on in no time."

I sighed. It was at least worth another try.

A sudden inspiration struck me. Perhaps I wasn't meant to grow _simple_ flowers. I ought to attempt the ones I drew.

And if that didn't work, I'd have to get up my nerve to ask Zarina if I could use some of her Garden talent enhancing dust.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Still clutching my journal, I flew to Spring Valley with renewed excitement.

"There you are, Sweetpea," said Rosetta, sitting on the leaf of a rose she was painting. "Did you get a chance to talk to Queen Clarion?"

"Yes. She summoned Fairy Frieda but it was determined that Art isn't my talent."

"You mean she didn't like your drawings?"

"She did. But I can't seem to draw anything _but_ plants and flowers. Still, I—"

"Well, don't fret over that. Fairy Frieda has always been such a sourpuss. I've been thinking, with your art ability, that maybe you'd be better at painting the flowers than growing them." I tucked the journal under my arm as she handed me her wet paintbrush. "I grew this rose white but found I'd like it better if it were red. I'll hold this," she took my journal, "while you give this a go."

I turned my focus on the rose with some reluctance. Rosetta had already painted half the petals in a red so flawless they looked as if they'd been grown that way.

I stared at a stark white petal and imagined it was one of the blank pages in my journal. I dipped the brush into the paint bucket that dangled from a thorny stem and started to work. Enthusiasm spread through me. If I could draw flora, then painting petals should be a snap.

Or so I'd thought. The paint clumped in spots, leaving the once smooth petal a dripping mess. A slender shadow passed over me.

"Oh, dear," said a familiar voice. I turned and, to my horror, saw the Minister of Spring hovering slightly above. "You, young lady, are not going to be ready in time to usher in spring. There's only a few days left."

My cheeks burned as I noticed a crowd of Garden talents watching us.

"I'll keep working with her," said Rosetta. She grasped my hand and helped me gently guide the brush over the petal. "There you go. Nice easy strokes." There was only a slight improvement.

"You see to that, Rosetta. But, if not, Ally will have to stay behind with the non-Nature talent fairies."

He flew off. My throat tightened and I stared straight ahead to avoid all the eyes on me.

"Oh, pay him no mind. We'll find _something_ you can do."

"I think I know what it is." I handed her back the paintbrush and grabbed my journal. "Maybe I can't grow daisies or paint roses but I can probably grow something in here. Why else am I able to draw these? It wouldn't make sense otherwise."

"Well, I've never seen the likes of these but it couldn't hurt to give it a whirl."

I searched the pages for something easy to start with and came across a single flower. Each petal was a different color. I wasn't sure how I'd done that since I only had one quill. All the varying colors appeared as if by magic, just the way I envisioned them. That ought to help me now.

I passed the journal back to Rosetta and, holding the rainbow flower's image in my mind, honed my attention to any seeds lingering beneath the ground. The familiar tingling of my effort to grow something filled my body.

"It looks like you're doing it, Ally!" shouted Chloe's excited voice from the surrounding group.

Elation thrummed through me. I was finally growing something beautiful! I could feel it.

This hope was instantly dashed when the sounds of sighs and groans touched my ears. I opened my eyes. What I'd grown was a slight improvement from the weeds, but not by much. A skinny, wormlike sprout stuck out of the soil, topped by ragged, brownish petals. It drooped as if those petals were much too heavy.

I sank to my knees and struggled to coax it into the flower I'd drawn. "You're supposed to look like this," I said, pointing to my colorful illustration as frustration swelled within me.

The sad little blossom just drooped more, as if I'd placed too much pressure on it, and shed its wispy petals.

"Oh, Sweetpea," Rosetta whispered as she and Chloe held me close. The other Garden fairies surrounded us, murmuring in sympathy, except for Ivy who wept uncontrollably. My throat ached and tears burned my eyes. If I didn't watch it, I'd beat her in a crying contest.

I swallowed and blinked away those stubborn tears. No! I refused to get upset over this. There was one other option. My last hope. I pulled away from my friends and stood, brushing dirt off my leggings.

"I'm going to see Zarina."

"Zarina?" asked Rosetta.

"Yes. If I can use some of her Garden talent dust, then my talent will _have_ to improve." The thought of her having used it to grow an entire Pixie Dust Tree filled me with so much hope I felt I might burst. "Do you know where I can find her?"

"Well, she usually spends the mornings gathering ingredients for her experiments." Rosetta glanced toward the sun. "But she might be back by now. It's worth a try." She told me how to get to Zarina's house.

"Thanks. Wish me luck." I took off in that direction. Only then did I realize I'd left my journal behind. Well, it didn't matter anyway. Once I convinced Zarina to let me use her dust, I'd no longer need that. Instead of drawing those plants, I'd be able to actually _grow_ them.

I slowed when I spotted a cottage made out of a tree branch. It had a leaf roof and stood at the top of a short hill. A path of steps led up to it. That had to be Zarina's house. I alighted on the bottom step and wiped my suddenly sweating palms onto my tunic.

Why was I so nervous? I'd only met Zarina briefly but she'd seemed nice enough. Wasn't she just another fairy like all the other friends I'd made?

A fairy who had once been a pirate captain, grown a second Pixie Dust Tree, could take on any talent, and had recently come up with the cure for broken wings, something that had previously been thought to be impossible. I couldn't even grow a single decent flower!

 _That's why you're here, to ask her to fix that,_ my mind urged as I almost lost my nerve. I forced my suddenly heavy legs to climb those steps. Why hadn't I thought to _fly_ to the top?

I had to wipe off my hands again once I reached the round door. _Knock, just knock!_ My stomach felt as if I'd swallowed my wings and they were beating rapidly, trying to escape.

I took a deep breath and knocked softly. Maybe she was still out and I should try again later. But, just as I was about to turn away, I heard light, rapid footsteps. The door swung open.

A colorful lab coat draped Zarina's slender form and her thick hair was pulled back into a messy bun. Wisps of it framed her pretty face.

"Hi…Ally, is it?" I felt my tense insides loosen just a bit.

I nodded and hoped my tongue wouldn't fail me this time. "Yeah. Hi. It's nice to see you again. I-I was wondering if…" My mind suddenly went blank.

"Come on in." She opened the door wider and stepped aside, allowing me to enter.

I glanced around. A leaf curtain divided the living area from what had to be her lab. Items I didn't have names for cluttered a long table next to an unlit fireplace. Amongst them was a book similar to my art journal with the title _Pixie Dust Experiments_ on the cover. A shelf along one wall was lined with several large glass vials, each one containing a different color of pixie dust. The sun spilling through the window made them sparkle even more.

"So…this is your lab?" My voice rasped.

"Yep." Zarina smiled. "Is there something I can help you with?" She sounded as if I wasn't the first to approach her with a request.

"Actually, yes." My gaze remained fixed on the pixie dust containers. Which one was Garden? "When I Arrived, Garden was the talent selected for me. Of course, you know that. You were there. But I'm not any good at it. All I grow is weeds but I can draw beautiful flowers and such, but Fairy Frieda said my talent isn't Art since I can't draw other things and I was wondering…" I trailed off when I noticed Zarina staring down at me with a bemused expression. It was only then that I realized I was babbling. Had I made any sense at all? And, even worse, I'd been unconsciously twisting a lock of hair and had gotten it hopelessly tangled around my fingers.

"Ally, please." Zarina placed her hands on my shoulders. "Slow down. What is it you came to see me about?"

"To fix my talent." I struggled to untangle my fingers but only succeeded in painfully yanking my scalp. My face burned as Zarina reached out to help. "That, or maybe even change it. I heard you can do that too."

"I don't think that is a good idea. A lot of fairies at the beginning had asked to try out different talents but they quickly found they were happiest with the talents that chose them at their Arrivals. I've spoken to Queen Clarion, the Seasonal Ministers, and the guild supervisors about this. It was decided that talents should only be switched when there is a need. And even then only temporarily."

"A need? What sort of need?"

"Well, if there was, say, a shortage of Water fairies, then some of the fairies with other talents could briefly take on Water talent until they fixed whatever the problem was."

"Okay, so I won't change my talent. What if I enhance it?"

"Didn't you say you only grow weeds?"

I swallowed. I didn't like where this was going. "Yeah…that's right."

"Ally." Zarina's eyes grew sad and her voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't think the Garden dust will help you. It would only—"

She suddenly stopped as I stepped back and shook my head. A mixture of rage and despair filled my chest. Zarina's dust had been my last hope.

"I'm sorry I wasted your time," I snapped, my voice harsh with bitterness.

"Ally, wait!"

I shoved open the door and took off, flying away as fast as I could. Hot tears blurred my eyes, making it impossible to see where I was going. After I'd flown some distance, I dropped down into a grass field.

I curled up in the dirt and buried my face in my hands, finally releasing all the pent up emotions that I'd kept clenched within me. I wept harder than even Ivy, in loud gulping sobs. At least no one was around to witness that but, at this point, I didn't care.

Why had I even Arrived? I had no purpose. And I'd been a fool to seek out Zarina, perhaps the most important fairy, next to Queen Clarion, in Pixie Hollow. Why in all of Never Land would she help me? I was nothing, not even a proper Garden talent.

A Weed talent. That's what I was.

Screams yanked me from my miserable thoughts. "Sprinting Thistles!" someone shrieked.

I jolted upright. The surrounding grass swayed and what sounded like the trampling of dozens of heavy feet roared in my ears. Through the stirring grass and swirling dust clouds, I could see several tall thistles, headed straight for me.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

It all happened so fast. I didn't have time to get to my feet before the Sprinting Thistles were thundering past, scratching and jostling me from all directions. One was barreling right at me. I stiffened. This was it. I'd only been alive for barely two days but I figured it was for the best.

Something snatched the Thistle away. Before I could question this, a metallic claw grasped me around the waist and plopped me into a giant net, where I joined a few wriggling Thistles.

"Ally!" a voice shouted. Tink?

Once again, the claw grabbed me and pulled me from the net, setting me onto the ground, out of the Thistles' path. A large crowd of fairies had gathered, all gasping and asking if I was hurt. My legs wobbled. I would have fallen if Tink hadn't clutched me into a tight hug that crushed the air from my lungs.

"Ally, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" She pulled back to look me over but still firmly grasped my shoulders. "You look terrible. You should get a Healing fairy to look at those scratches."

"I'll be fine. Thanks for saving me." I looked over my shoulder. The Thistle Catcher was still rolling after the Thistles at top speed, grabbing several at a time with its multiple claws. I sighed, wishing I had such a useful talent.

"You sure you're all right?" Tink's eyes were filled with concern. I nodded. "That was a close call. You ought to be more careful next time. It looks as if the Thistles have gotten smarter and are refusing to stay put in Needlepoint Meadow. My Catcher can only gather so many up at a time. They'd better not ruin the spring preparations again."

"Again? This has happened before?"

Tink nodded. A wistful expression shadowed her face. "Yeah. Back when I first Arrived."

* * *

I was lucky. I only had a few scratches, none of them deep or very painful. I shuddered to think what would have happened if Tink hadn't shown up with the Catcher, how much it would have hurt to be trampled to death by Thistles.

I took an extra-long soak in the bath and, even though it was still light out, put on my nightclothes. I just wanted to get into bed and forget this day ever happened.

I didn't bother to get up when someone knocked at my door.

"Yoo-hoo! Are you home, Sweetpea?" I sighed. I wasn't in the mood to see Rosetta or anyone else. "I have your journal. You left it behind when you took off to see Zarina."

I heaved myself off the bed. "Thanks, Ro," I said, taking the book and blocking the entrance so she couldn't come in.

"Whoa, what's wrong? What did Zarina say?"

I slumped my shoulders and shook my head. "She refused to help me."

"Refused?" Rosetta sounded genuinely confused. "That doesn't sound like her. But then, she probably had a good reason."

"Then it's hopeless. There's nothing that can be done."

"Oh, that's the wrong attitude." She patted my shoulder. "You just need more practice, that's all."

Fury burned within me. I pulled back. "That's what _everyone_ keeps saying. That I need more practice. I just want to know, when is that practice going to pay off?"

"I honestly don't know. But I do know that, if you can draw such beautiful things," she tapped the cover of my journal, "then you should eventually be able to create them. You're probably just a late bloomer." She suddenly giggled. "That's a little Garden talent humor but it's true."

I felt my mood brighten, just a bit.

After she left, I didn't go right to sleep as I'd anticipated. Instead, I stayed up late once again, adding more elaborate drawings to my journal. I imagined the pages were the soil and the multicolored flowers and unusual plants and trees that flew from my quill were the things I had grown.

"Why?" I whispered to them. "Why can't you be real?"

I got up extra early the next morning, even though I was still sore from my encounter with the Sprinting Thistles, and was one of the first fairies to get to the Tree for the daily pixie dust ration. Once my wings were refreshed, I headed toward Zarina's home. A plan formed in my mind. If she wasn't going to allow me to use any of her Garden dust, then I would just have to steal some when she wasn't looking.

No, _borrow,_ I corrected myself.

I remembered what Rosetta had said about Zarina leaving her lab each morning to collect ingredients.

I fluttered up to the highest branch of a tree overlooking her house and hid behind a cluster of leaves to wait.

Sure enough, Zarina, with an empty satchel slung over one shoulder, stepped through her door and gracefully leaped down the steps. To my surprise, she didn't take off in flight as I'd expected but walked. I figured she must have used up all her dust.

Once she was gone, I flew down to the top step and stood there for several minutes, adding more braids to my hair. What was I doing? It was my third day of life and I was already turning into a thief.

 _No, you're just borrowing the dust,_ I tried to convince myself. _If you don't do this, you will be the only Nature talent left behind when the Everblossom blooms._

Fighting my noisy conscience, I pushed aside the door and, looking around to be sure no one was watching, stepped into Zarina's lab. I approached the wall of vials and read the labels off each: _Invisibility, Fairy Pox Cure, Winter Fairy Wing Protection, Warm Fairy Wing Protection, Wing Protection in Water, Wing Restoration, Life-Giving Dust, Storm Talent, Water Talent, Light Talent, Garden Talent…_

That was the one! It was filled almost to the top with bright pink dust. I had to hover slightly above the floor to reach it.

The vial, like the others, was half my size. I pulled off the cap. How much did I need? Were measurements important? My gaze drifted to Zarina's _Pixie Dust Experiments_ journal. Would it have that information? And would she later notice that any of the dust was missing? I shook my head. I couldn't worry about that.

I was about to approach the book when I heard movement outside. I froze. What if that was Zarina returning home? How would I explain my presence?

I fluttered behind the dividing curtain and waited. No one approached the door. I nearly laughed out loud. What I'd heard was merely a breeze rustling the leaves on the roof.

That still didn't ease the tension that vibrated through every nerve in my body. Even if Zarina was gone for hours, someone could stop by, hoping to catch her. Best to just grab a handful of dust, sprinkle it on, and get out of here.

I returned to the pink vial and, my wings pulsing behind me, reached into it. My arm was shaking so much that I accidently tipped the container over.

"No!" I shouted as it fell off the shelf, spilling a cascade of pink dust over me before shattering against the floor with a deafening crash.

I dropped beside the scattered glass shards. What had I done? There would be no hiding this from Zarina now!

But I had worse problems. I was completely covered in pink dust. It clotted my nose and throat and stung my eyes. An intense burning sensation rippled across my skin. Panic choked me. What was happening?

Blinking dust from my watering eyes, I struggled to stand. My limbs felt suddenly stiff. Desperate, I tried to brush the thick layer of dust off my clothes and staggered to the door.

My wings gave out the second I leaped off the top step and I plunged to the ground. The brief pain that shot through me was nothing compared to the dust that was still on me, increasing that powerful burning. Was I on fire?

I touched my face. Horror jolted through me as I encountered what felt like rough bark instead of soft skin. My hands went to my hair. Instead of random, multiple braids, I was touching leaves.

The pain increased as my entire body stretched. I looked down. I grew rapidly, reaching above some of the surrounding trees until I towered over Zarina's house. My feet had become roots, burrowing deep into the ground, and my arms and wings transformed into branches.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The dust had turned me into a tree? I could still see and hear but suddenly wished I couldn't. Curious fairies and sparrow men flew toward me from all directions.

"This sure came up quickly!" someone said.

"It looks like Zarina's work," said a corpulent sparrow man I recognized as the dust-keeper supervisor Fairy Gary. He brushed pink dust off some of my leaves. "It must be another one of her experiments." He looked around. "Where is she?"

"I don't know," I said, surprised I could speak although I wasn't sure how. Did I still have a mouth? I couldn't move my hands—no, _twigs_ —to check.

"A talking tree!" he said with a hearty laugh. "What will she come up with next?"

To add to my humiliation, more of Pixie Hollow's residents streamed toward me, forming a huge crowd. They appeared tiny to me as they flew about, inspecting my leaves and branches. This had to be a nightmare. I tried to wake up but it didn't work.

"Who grew this?" Rosetta fluttered close. "It looks like it has a face of sorts…"

"Rosetta, it's me, Ally," I said, desperate for someone to understand.

"Ally?" she breathed, placing a hand over her chest. "What in all of Never Land happened to you?" She studied my dust-coated branches. "Did Zarina do this?"

I tried to shake my head but didn't have one to shake. The leaves that were once my hair just stirred, as if by a breeze. "No. I-I just wanted to improve my talent."

"So I take it you just snuck into her house and used some Garden dust." Rosetta placed her hands on her hips. "What in tarnation were you thinking, Ally? Only Zarina can control the different kinds of pixie dust."

"She didn't want to help me." My soft voice sounded like the wind.

"Well, we've got to find her. She's the only one who can fix this."

"I'm on it," said Vidia with an amused smirk on her face. She dashed away so fast that she was just a purple and black blur.

Dread pulsed through me. What if Zarina couldn't fix this? And, even if she could, one thing was certain. She was going to be furious. Would she tell Queen Clarion? Would I be banished from Pixie Hollow? It wasn't as if I was useful to their society. Like the weeds I grew, I was more of a nuisance. Maybe it would be best if I remained a tree. I tuned out the murmurings of the other fairies as I waited.

After what felt like forever, Vidia returned with Zarina.

"Oh, Ally, what have you done?" Zarina shook her head as she flew around me. "Garden dust is one of the more dangerous potions."

"Can you help her?" asked Rosetta.

"I think I have something that will work." She dashed downward and disappeared into her cottage.

She emerged several minutes later with an acorn bowl filled with dust that was such a pale pink it was nearly white. Gentle warmth pulsed through me as she poured it over my branches.

My vision spun. For a moment, I blacked out. When I came to, I was huddled on the ground, surrounded by fairies and sparrow men, all back to their normal sizes. "It worked!" someone exclaimed.

Relief passed through me. I studied my hands and long brown hair, sections of it divided into thin braids, which spilled over my shoulders.

Zarina helped me up. I staggered slightly but she kept a tight grip on me. "You may feel a little light-headed at first but that will quickly pass."

I blinked at her. Wasn't she angry? I'd snuck into her home, made a mess, and used up all her pink dust. "I-I…I'm so sorry. I—"

She waved aside my pathetic attempt at an apology and merely said, "Walk with me."

"Walk?" I hurried after her, wondering why she'd choose to walk when we could fly.

"I sometimes prefer it. You miss so much when you fly over everything."

Tall grass and flowers brushed against me as I struggled to keep up with Zarina. She sure walked fast and my shorter legs weren't used to that.

Uneasiness replaced my temporary relief. Where was she taking me? I was sure she'd let me have it once we arrived. What was she going to do?

Sudden dread tightened my chest as I remembered she'd been a pirate captain. What sorts of horrible punishments did she know about? My hands reached for a loose lock of hair. I would have started forming a new braid if I didn't have to run to match her pace.

Through gaps in the grass, I could see the Pixie Dust Tree looming ahead, the center of its leaves glowing with gold dust.

"Follow me." Zarina leaped into the air and sped toward the Tree.

I trailed behind as she led me into its boughs. A sparkling fall of glittering gold dust cascaded down the center into a vast pool below. The intense light reminded me of the sun, except that it didn't hurt my eyes to look at. Zarina settled on a large flower next to the dust-fall and motioned for me to join her. I tugged at my hair as I did so. "This is my favorite spot in all of Pixie Hollow," she said, her gaze fixed on the dust. "I often come here when I just need to think and get away from everything for a while."

I took a deep breath and struggled to come up with something to say. I was sure she expected an explanation for what I'd done. "I-I just wanted to fix my talent." I started weaving another braid. "I-I know I really messed up—"

"Not as bad as me when I first made pink pixie dust," she laughed. I gaped at her, shocked. She wasn't going to yell or do something terrible to me? Her eyes reflected the dust's gold as she turned and smiled at me.

"What happened?"

"I accidently destroyed the Pixie Dust Depot, where I worked." A look of regret suddenly clouded her face. She looked down, fixing her gaze on the pool far below. "But that wasn't the worst thing I did. Not by a longshot."

Zarina was silent for so long that I wondered if I should say something. "Do you know how gold pixie dust is made, Ally?" she finally asked.

I nodded. I wasn't a dust-keeper but I knew the basics. "When the dust flow grows weak, the Tree requires an infusion of precious blue dust. It's that which makes the Tree replenish its supply."

"That's right. 'From a trickle to a roar,' as Fairy Gary would say." Zarina's voice had grown so soft I could barely hear her against the constant swishing of the dust flow. I shifted closer. Her head was still bowed. A stray lock of hair tumbled over her face but she didn't bother to brush it back. "And do you know what would happen if the Tree stopped producing gold dust?"

"We'd lose our magic and not be able to fly. Life here in Pixie Hollow would become really difficult. We wouldn't be able to get to the Mainland to change the seasons, so it would also affect the human world."

Zarina closed her eyes. "When I lived with the pirates, I promised them I would make their ship fly." A tremor of excitement pumped through me. I was finally going to hear the story of her adventures. "I'd grown a Pixie Dust Tree for this but, in order to make it work, I needed the blue dust. I only had a few specks in my possession, which I'd used for other things."

She took a deep breath, as if revealing the next part was difficult. "I stole Pixie Hollow's blue dust from the Dust Depot during the Four Seasons Festival, after I put almost everyone to sleep." I drew back in shock. She opened her eyes but still didn't look at me. They were filled with shame. "Tink, Rosetta, Silvermist, Fawn, Iridessa, and Vidia came after me to retrieve the dust and bring me to my senses. But I sometimes wonder what would have happened if they hadn't, if they'd fallen asleep along with everyone else. The disaster it would have caused in Pixie Hollow. And I would have been dead. When the pirate crew betrayed me, my friends saved my life and offered me kindness I didn't deserve. I will always be grateful to them."

I stared at the endless dust swishing past us. If that blue dust had never been returned, I wouldn't be here. The thought sent a shiver through me. I rubbed my arms. "Why?" I asked. "Why did you do it?"

"I thought the pirates were my friends and I wanted to help them." Her sweet voice was tinged with a hint of bitterness. She fidgeted with one of her bracelets. "But that wasn't all. I had a lot of anger in me back then. Pixie Dust Alchemy was unheard of so no one understood my talent. They thought I should act like a proper dust-keeper and not ask so many questions or tamper with pixie dust, which I couldn't resist. That was why I'd left Pixie Hollow. But that wasn't enough. I also wanted to punish everyone for not appreciating my talent."

A strange twisting sensation filled my chest. "But it's all okay now." I reached toward the dust-fall then pulled my hand back, remembering that I shouldn't take more than my allotted share. Instead, I grabbed another lock of hair and twisted it. "And I understand how you must have felt, kind of." Zarina finally turned her head and looked at me. Her lips tugged into a slight smile. "I needed your dust to help my talent. That's why I snuck into your house."

"Ally, all that would do is make you grow bigger weeds. That's what I tried to tell you before you dashed off. Of course, talent enhancement just takes a handful of dust. You saw what happened when you used too much." I flushed with embarrassment.

"Then it's hopeless? I'm really just a Weed fairy?"

"No, you're not. Every fairy in Pixie Hollow has a useful talent, including you. You just have to find a way to properly utilize it."

"But how? Everyone keeps telling me that with practice I'll get better. But nothing works and I've tried everything."

"Everything, really?" She quirked an eyebrow. "You know, Ally, it took me a long time to make use of my talent. I used to save my daily pixie dust rations for experiments that never worked. It wasn't until I discovered that a speck of blue dust was all they needed. Didn't you say you drew pictures of plants?"

"Yes. But they are useless, just ink on paper. And I can't even be an Art talent because—"

"Ally, don't you see?" Zarina's eyes shone brighter than the dust-pool. "Those drawings are _your_ blue dust."

"They…what?"

"They're the key to unlocking your talent. I guarantee it."

Faint hope flickered within me but I couldn't let it emerge. I'd been disappointed too many times. "But how?"

"That's something you are going to have to figure out." She pulled me into a tight hug. "Your talent will work out, Ally. Trust me. You just have to find a way."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It was late by the time I returned home. After I helped Zarina clean up the mess I'd made of her lab, I spent some time flying around Pixie Hollow, thinking about what she had said. My drawings really were the key to my talent? How?

I opened my journal to an illustration of an incandescent blossom that changed colors when I shifted it. I traced my fingers over the delicate, curling petals. They looked so real but felt and smelled like paper.

Sudden anger bubbled in me. How could Zarina understand? My talent wasn't Alchemy but an incongruous combination between Art and Garden, both incomplete. My existence was a joke. An urge to rip up all my drawings burned through me. I won't draw anything ever again. It wasn't the key to _anything._ I'd just accept that I was a Weed fairy. Weeds must be useful or they wouldn't exist, right?

I grabbed the top of the page and ripped. To my shock, the paper didn't tear. Instead, one of the glowing petals peeled away.

My rage melted into surprise. What was happening? I pulled up another petal and another. My illustration was becoming real! Instead of paper, I could feel the petals' silky texture and an enchanting fragrance wafted up at me.

I tugged the rest of the blossom loose, lifting the entire thing from my journal, roots and all.

I was so shocked I dropped it onto the fuzzy carpet where it instantly took root and bloomed even more.

I scrambled forward on my bed and gasped. That flower was as real as the ones I'd seen the other Garden talents grow and it was gorgeous. I stood and paced around it, admiring how the petals shifted colors. Their glows overpowered that of the mushroom lamps and the invading moonlight.

Excitement pulsed through me. Zarina had been right! I had to share this with someone. Was anyone still up?

I dashed outside. All I heard was the overpowering chirping of crickets.

Rosetta's cottage was the closest to mine. I raced over to it and pounded on the petal-shaped front door.

She gave me an angry scowl as she opened it. Her hair was in curlers and she had cream smeared all over her face. "What in tarnation are you doing coming over at this time and interruptin' my beauty sleep?"

"I'm sorry but I just couldn't wait until morning to show you."

"Show me what?" She yawned. I grabbed her hand and pulled her outside, dragging her back to my cottage. "Oh, Ally, this had better be good!"

"It is. Trust me."

Her eyes widened when I showed her the flower. "Well, I'll be…" Her voice softened to an awed whisper as she circled it, examining it from every angle. "That's got to be the most unusual flower I've ever seen. And so beautiful. But I have no idea what genus it is. Where'd it come from?"

"I made it."

"You made it?" Her brow crinkled in confusion. "You mean, you grew it?"

I laughed and shook my head. "No, it's actually one of my drawings."

"One of your…what?"

I held up my journal. "I pulled it out of here." I flipped through the pages.

Rosetta rubbed her eyes with her fists and blinked hard. "I think I might be dreaming."

"I have to see if the others work." I was far too excited now to even consider sleep. "But we'd better do this outside. I don't want my home turning into a jungle."

I flew low to the ground a short distance as I searched for a section of open ground and stopped when I found it.

I opened the journal to one of my stranger illustrations, a tree with taffy leaves. Would they actually be edible?

I scrunched up my face as I tore the page. The spiraling red and purple leaves suddenly felt sticky to my touch. It was working! The taffy tree in my hand was no larger than its illustration had been but it was real. Its sweet scent was so strong I could practically taste it. My mouth watered in anticipation. The moment I placed it on the ground, it instantly took root and grew to the size of the other surrounding trees.

I grinned as I turned to Rosetta. She was leaning against a toadstool, her wide eyes going from me to the taffy tree and back again. "You…you…." She closed her eyes and lightly tapped her fist against her forehead. "Now I _know_ I'm dreaming."

I flew up and tugged one of the taffy leaves off the branch. It dangled from my fingers like a loose spring. As I pulled one end, it stretched until I managed to pry a piece loose. I bit into it. A rich, chewy sweetness filled my mouth.

"Oh, Rosetta!" I exclaimed between chews. "You have to try this. It'll prove you're not dreaming."

She took a bite with some reluctance. "Gracious, Sweetpea!" she said once she swallowed the piece. "This is delicious. I just can't believe you grew a _taffy tree_!"

"I have lots more like it in here." I flipped through the illustrated pages in my journal.

"We're showing this to the Minister of Spring first thing in the morning," she said. "He'll _have_ to let you go to the Mainland now."

* * *

My entire body thrummed with elation as I flew with Rosetta to the section of Spring Valley where the preparations were being made. Fawn and the other Animal talent fairies were busy painting butterfly wings and using sprayers to quickly plop dots onto ladybugs. I saw Tink, Clank, and Bobble standing beside a cart with Cheese, whose tail looked completely healed, as they handed out rainbow tubes to yellow-clad Light talents. Queen Clarion and Fairy Mary were drifting about, checking everything over. The Everblossom, perched on the hill a short distance away, was already starting to unfold its graceful white petals.

I looked around for the Minister of Spring. I found him fluttering toward the edge of Havendish Stream, where Silvermist and another blue-gowned fairy were training tadpoles to jump through bubbles. "Silvermist! Dewmist!" he called to them. They turned. "I need you both to go to Sunflower Meadow immediately. Some of the flowers are dry and could use some rain." They both took off.

"Sir," Rosetta said, flying up to him. Suddenly nervous, I clutched the journal to my chest. "Ally has something to show you."

I swallowed as he looked down at me. "It had better be an improvement over what I've seen so far."

"Oh, it is, I assure—" Rosetta bit back her words at the disturbing sound of a familiar thundering, followed by screams.

"Sprinting Thistles! More than I've ever seen!" shouted a sparrow man, flying up to us and pointing in the distance.

There had to be hundreds of them, on the horizon, heading rapidly toward us.

"Why do they keep multiplying?" someone gasped, followed by more screams. "They'll destroy Pixie Hollow!"

My journal flew out of my hands as panicking fairies scrambled about, jostling me.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Queen Clarion quickly took charge, calling commands to the restless crowd. "Tinker Bell, we need your Thistle Catcher. Fast-fliers, use your wind to push them back. Viola, fetch Zarina and tell her to bring purple dust. We're going to need all the fast-fliers we can get. Those who wish to volunteer for this, step over here beside me. Everyone else, grab what you can and get under cover."

I scrambled after my journal as I was knocked about by dashing fairies on all sides. Terror overcame my disappointment. What if all the preparations were ruined? Tink mentioned this had happened before. How had they recovered?

"Quick, those of you who don't wish to volunteer to become fast-fliers get in here," commanded a sparrow man dressed as a Scout. He held up a piece of the ground like a trap door. Several fairies and sparrow men hurried into the opening.

I snatched up my journal.

"You, girl, are you coming?" he asked me as I stood there with my wings flared. What did I want? To hide underground or fight the Thistles? I glanced over at the group that had gathered before Queen Clarion, spotting Fawn, Iridessa, Silvermist, Rosetta, and Chloe amongst them. Vidia and the other fast-fliers had already taken off toward the Thistles, struggling to push them back with a harsh wind that only breezed across their tops. Queen Clarion was right. We needed more fast-fliers.

I shook my head and, tucking my journal into my belt, hurried toward Queen Clarion's group.

"All right, Ally!" said Chloe, slapping my back.

Tink's Catcher had snatched up some of the Thistles but was instantly overwhelmed. There were far too many. They trampled the machine as they pushed closer to us, leaving it scattered across the ground in pieces.

Tink, her face burning a brilliant red, hurried to join us. Tears glossed her eyes but I could tell she struggled to hold them back. She bit her lip.

"You did your best, Tink," said Silvermist, patting her shoulder.

"Yeah," said Iridessa, her eyes wide with worry. "There's just so many of them."

Zarina arrived with a full satchel. She flung purple dust over each waiting fairy and sparrow man. A sharp prickling danced along my wings as the dust spilled over them. They started vibrating, anxious to take off. My outfit instantly turned purple, as did everyone else's.

Zarina sprinkled the dust on herself last. My surroundings blurred as we all took off at top speed and joined Vidia's group. A strange elation filled me. I loved flying but this was a thrill I'd never experienced before. I was moving so fast my stomach felt as if it were oozing from my body.

"Use those air currents, guys!" Vidia called once we caught up to her and the other real fast-fliers. "Let's make a tornado."

We swirled around as one, creating a massive funnel of wind that picked up several Thistles and hurled them a great distance. It was working!

Or so I'd thought. Far too many Thistles remained, burrowing their roots into the ground. My wings suddenly ached from the speed and my head spun. It was an effort to keep up this much force but the countless Thistles weren't budging.

"Stop!" I heard Vidia shout over the roaring winds.

I slowed, along with the others. The tornado vanished.

In that instant, the Thistles unanimously uprooted and continued their noisy stampede, rushing closer to Spring Valley.

"Try hurricane winds this time," Vidia commanded.

We dashed forward as one, drawing air toward us and forming a wave of wind that blasted over the Thistles. It howled in my ears and whipped my hair across my face. Why hadn't I thought to plait it into a single braid?

This time the Thistles were prepared and only two blew away before they set down their roots. I remembered Tink saying they were getting smarter. How true that was. Our efforts were useless. If we kept the winds coming, the Thistles would just burrow. But when we stopped, they continued their destructive rampage. There had to be another way.

Thoughts as rapid as my charged wings whirled through my mind. Could I come up with an idea for a plant that would overpower the Thistles? I couldn't think of anything in my fast-flier state but if…

"Zarina!" I called, rushing over to her. Her face was flushed with the effort of helping everyone maintain the harsh wind. "I found a way to make my Garden talent work. I need it back. It might stop the Thistles. Do you have any Garden dust on you?"

She nodded and reached into her pocket. I was briefly engulfed in a shower of sparkling pink.

"Thanks!" I called as I darted downward, my wings feeling suddenly slow and sluggish.

I pulled out my journal but didn't have a quill. Desperation flooded through me as I glanced back at the ongoing battle. Every fast-flier was tiring. Some of my companions had dropped to the ground, overcome by exhaustion, while the others struggled to keep up the wind. But how much longer would their energy last? Already the Thistles were uprooting and leaning into the gale.

I searched the preparation area for something to draw with. There were scattered fruits, berries, rainbow tubes, paintbrushes…

That's it! I snatched up a paintbrush and fumbled my journal open to a blank page.

We needed something to gather up all the Thistles at once. The image of a Venus Fly Trap touched my mind. But one the size of a hill and craving Thistles, able to fit hundreds of them in its cave-like maw, and would obey my commands.

The image flew from the paintbrush onto the page, perfect in every detail, except size.

Once I was finished, I sped to the field where the fast-fliers were still struggling to hold back the Thistles. I tore the Thistle Trap from its page and dropped it onto the ground. It instantly took root, spreading thick, flowering vines across the wide meadow and ballooning as high as the surrounding hills. "You're hungry, I know," I said to it. I pointed to the mass of Thistles ready to continue their relentless stampede. "There are plenty of delicious Thistles for you to eat."

"Ally?" Tink's stunned voice carried over the sounds of the dying wind and restless Thistles. "What is _that_? Did you grow it?"

"Yes I did, in a way. It's a Thistle Trap. Everyone, stop the wind!" I had to yell to make myself heard. "Let the Thistles go. This thing is starving."

The wind stopped suddenly as they all gawked at the Thistle Trap in shock. The Thistles dashed forward in a seemingly endless stream, straight into the Trapper's wide open mouth. Once the last one entered, it snapped its jaws shut and smacked its lips, as if satisfied with its meal. The silence that filled the still air was almost deafening.

"Good job," I said, patting the top of its massive head. "Now, head over to Needlepoint Meadow. That's where the Thistles grow. You will never be hungry."

With a thunderous sound like an avalanche, the Trapper pulled up its enormous roots and shambled off in the direction of Needlepoint Meadow.

I turned back to the others who were staring at me, eyes wide and mouths gaping.

"Ally…what...? You…." For once, Rosetta couldn't release her words.

"That was flitterific!" gasped Tink, rushing over and nearly knocking me out of the air in an eager hug.

"Well, even I'm impressed," said Vidia, patting me on the back. "And it takes a lot to impress me."

"I'll say that was impressive," said Queen Clarion, trailed by the Minister of Spring. He looked ready to faint. She placed a hand on my shoulder. "It turns out you have quite a talent, Ally. You are the first Garden fairy in the history of Pixie Hollow to defeat the Sprinting Thistles. And because of you, spring is saved."

Euphoria filled me as everyone cheered and drew me into one big embrace.

"Ally deserves a trip to the Mainland, wouldn't you agree, Hyacinth?" said Queen Clarion.

"She certainly does."

"How did you do it, Ally?" asked Silvermist. "That's by far the biggest plant I've ever seen anyone grow."

"I found my blue dust," I said, winking at Zarina, who grinned back.

"She just pulls her drawings out of her journal," said Rosetta. "I know. I saw her do it last night. Those folks on the Mainland are going to be plenty surprised when they find candy trees standing right next to their begonias."

"Well, this is something I'd like to see," said Queen Clarion.

Once Zarina switched back the volunteers' talents, everyone gathered around me, including those who'd gone into hiding during the Thistle attack.

Awed gasps filled the air as I tore some of my creations out one by one and planted them in the ground: a sparkling tree with crystalline leaves and silver fruits; a colorful bird-shaped plant with a flowing, flowery tail; and blossoms that fluttered through the air like butterflies with multiple wings.

Stunned murmurs from my audience filled my ears. "Gorgeous!" "Amazing!" "I've never…." My chest was so swollen with happiness I felt it might burst.

"I'll say one thing," said the Minister of Spring. "The Mainland is in for some surprises this spring." He looked toward the Everblossom. Its petals had widened further but still hadn't completely bloomed.

Anticipation vibrated through me as I silently willed it to hurry.

* * *

I didn't expect a new Arrival to appear so close to our departure time but one did. She stood within the mushroom circle of talent icons, studying each one with huge ocher eyes that dominated her delicately beautiful face. Her diaphanous wings flared slightly as she started toward the flower.

 _Oh, please, let her be a Garden talent!_ I thought as I wove a lock of hair into a thin braid. I sat on a large orchid between Rosetta and Chloe. They both leaned forward in eager hopefulness.

Disappointment filled me as the flower wilted in her grasp. She bowed her head and lowered her wings. Her sleek fall of dark red hair swept forward, curtaining her face.

"You mustn't be discouraged, little one," Queen Clarion said in a kind voice as she gingerly brushed back the newcomer's hair. "There are still plenty of talents left to try." Warmth filled me as I remembered my own Arrival. An eternity seemed to have passed since then.

The new fairy lifted her head and, after carefully scanning the remaining icons, approached the rainbow cloud that represented Pixie Dust Alchemy. Her wide eyes reflected its multiple colors.

The dust took on a blinding glow and swirled around her, lifting her hair. The mushroom circle instantly disappeared. Zarina leaped onto the platform with a joyous cry.

"Everyone, please welcome Zoe, the newest Pixie Dust Alchemist," said Queen Clarion, clasping Zoe's small hand. "Zoe, meet your mentor, Fairy Zarina."

Deafening cheers echoed against the Tree as Zarina, placing an arm around Zoe's slender shoulders, turned to face us. I clapped so hard my palms hurt. Warm tears tickled my cheeks.

The Minister of Spring suddenly appeared. "The Everblossom has bloomed," he shouted, straining to be heard above the ruckus. "Nature talents, come along."

I grasped my journal as I rose. I'd added new illustrations to it and itched to plant them on the Mainland.

Swarms of fairies filled the air but there were still so many left standing on the ground, smiling and waving. "Is it really only the Nature talents that get to go to the Mainland?" I asked Rosetta. In my disappointment over my latent talent, I hadn't really thought this through. I'd been so concerned about _my_ not being allowed to go. But now, it seemed grossly unfair.

"Don't worry, Sweetpea. Come summer, _everyone_ goes, to spend a well-earned vacation at Fairy Camp. You'll love it. But, for now, we've got a job to do. Now come along."

"Just give me a second." I flew toward the large crowd of fairies and sparrow men watching our departure. Queen Clarion, looking on with pride, was wrapped in Lord Milori's arms. His perfect wings draped down his back like a gauzy cape. Behind them were Tink, Terence, Fairy Mary, Fairy Gary, Clank, Bobble, the newly promoted Fairy Zarina, and Zoe.

I dashed to Zarina and gave her a big hug. "Congratulations. And…thanks."

"Didn't I say you'd unlock your talent?"

I nodded then turned to Zoe. "You're in good hands with Zarina." Zoe looked up at her new mentor and beamed.

"Now, go on, Ally," said Zarina, giving me a slight push. "It's time to share that talent of yours with the world."

"Bye, Ally!" called Tink.

"Have fun," said Bobble.

"Bring me something from the Mainland," said Clank. Bobble jabbed him in the ribs.

I waved to all of them as I took to the air. Then, clutching my journal to my chest, I raced to catch up with Rosetta and Chloe, who were waiting. Joy warmed me despite the chill breeze as we headed toward the Second Star.

 **The End**


End file.
